Blackpool (TV serial)

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Blackpool

The UK DVD Cover
Format Drama
Created by Peter Bowker
Starring David Morrissey
David Tennant
Sarah Parish
Country of origin Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
No. of episodes 6
Production
Producer(s) BBC
Running time 60 mins each (360 mins total)
Broadcast
Original channel BBC One
Original run November 11, 2004 – December 16, 2004
Chronology
Related shows Viva Blackpool

Blackpool is a British television musical drama serial, produced in-house by the BBC. It was screened on BBC One as six one-hour episodes on Thursday nights at 9pm from November 11 to December 16, 2004. When retransmitted by BBC America in 2005, it was renamed Viva Blackpool, and went on to win a Peabody Award for BBC Worldwide, the commercial overseas distribution subsidiary of the BBC.[1] A sequel was produced, also called Viva Blackpool in the UK.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Ripley Holden (David Morrissey) is a small-time entrepreneur desperate to make it big with his new state-of-the-art amusement arcade. The opening extravaganza is overshadowed by the find of a dead body on the premises. DI Carlisle (David Tennant) is called in and quickly finds he has more on his mind than murder, when he falls in love with Ripley's long-suffering wife, Natalie (Sarah Parish).

As the murder investigation deepens, Carlisle closes down the arcade for investigation and calls in Ripley's son, Danny (Thomas Morrison) for questioning. Carlisle suspects that Danny is hiding something, possibly covering for his dad - as evidence is found at the arcade linking Ripley with the victim. Adding to Ripley's worries is a huge tax bill, his planning permission denied and the discovery that his daughter Shyanne (Georgia Taylor) is having a relationship with a man his age.

Danny goes on to confess to the murder but Carlisle doesn't believe him. When Natalie finds out he is a detective she tells him to stay away from her family. This gives Carlisle a renewed impetus to nail Ripley, his love rival. However, events take a startling turn when Danny attempts suicide.

The series comes to a finale with the wedding of Shyanne and Steve. Ripley gives Natalie and Carlisle his blessing and in return all charges are dropped. Danny then confesses that he committed the crime, in self-defence, and that he is gay. Ripley hands over the arcade to Danny, who is now in the clear.

[edit] Overview

Starring David Morrissey, Sarah Parish and David Tennant, the serial was written by Peter Bowker (who had previously written for BBC One's modern adaptation of The Canterbury Tales (2003) and BBC Two's Flesh and Blood (2002)) and directed by Coky Giedroyc and Julie Anne Robinson, it was filmed on location in Blackpool itself and Brentford. It was renamed Viva Blackpool for transmission on BBC America in 2005. Also in the cast were John Thompson and Steve Pemberton.

The series is particularly notable for its comic touches and the employment of pop music in the course of the narrative - although the originals are played, they are sung along with and accompanied by slightly surreal dance routines acted out by the characters. This latter device is strongly reminiscent of the style of television playwright Dennis Potter, who used it in several of his famous productions such as Pennies from Heaven (1978) and The Singing Detective (1986).

A sequel one-off, Viva Blackpool, starring David Morrissey reprising his role as Ripley Holden, and Georgia Taylor reprising her role as his daughter Shyanne was shown on the BBC on Saturday June 10, 2006.

[edit] Critical reaction and awards

Critical reaction to the serial was generally positive, although there were some poor reviews as well. Its audience figures were not spectacular, falling between four and five million viewers. In 2005, it was nominated in the Best Drama Serial category at the British Academy Television Awards, eventually losing out on the Award to Channel 4's Sex Traffic. It did, however, win the "Best Miniseries" and Grand Prize accolades at Canada's Banff Television Festival. In December 2005, it was announced that it had been nominated (under its American title Viva Blackpool) in the Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television category at the 2006 Golden Globe Awards.[1]

In October 2007, American network CBS aired a series adapted by Bob Lowry and the creator of Blackpool, Peter Bowker, and based on the same premise, coproduced by BBC Worldwide, CBS Paramount Network Television, Sony Pictures Television and Seed Productions called Viva Laughlin; the series was cancelled after two episodes, due to low ratings.

[edit] Overseas distribution

The serial has been shown abroad in several countries, including:

It has also been released on DVD in the UK and Australia.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Song list

A list of the songs used as musical numbers throughout the show.

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Episode 5

Episode 6

A soundtrack was also released to accompany the TV series, in which a six-page booklet explained why each song used was included in the series.

[edit] Viva Blackpool (the sequel)

Following the events of Blackpool and the implosion of his life and his dreams, Ripley headed to the bright lights and casinos of Vegas. Once there he discovered... God.

Now a Reverend, of sorts, Ripley has returned to his spiritual home and established Blackpool's first Vegas-style Chapel of Love. With daughter Shyanne as his assistant, Ripley performs weddings themed on anything from Elvis to Hogwarts. He's happy enough, living in a caravan in the Chapel car park. But then he meets American sexpot Kitty De-Luxe when she's jilted at his altar, and falls hopelessly in love.

At the same time he's courting Kitty, he's being courted himself. He's been left a collection of football memorabilia by his friend Patrick, including the genuine Jules Rimet World Cup trophy, and two rival bidders are determined to get their hands on it.

Totally smitten with a woman who's more than a match for him, is Ripley letting himself be played for a fool? Or will he pull an ace from his sleeve, and succeed in his new dream of opening a chain of cheerful, cheesy Chapels of Love across Britain?

Songs that appeared in the sequel included:

[edit] Further reading

  • Mundy, John (2006). "Singing Detected: Blackpool and the Strange Case of the Missing Television Musical Dramas". Journal of British Cinema and Television 3 (1): 59-71. Edinburgh University Press. doi:10.3366/JBCTV.2006.3.1.59. 

[edit] References

  1. ^ BBC Worldwide triumphs at the 65th Annual Peabody Awards, BBC press release, 6 April,. 2006, accessed 2 February, 2008

Cawley, CM. (2005) David Tennant & Awards News. Available at: http://www.kasterborous.com/news.asp?id=519 (Accessed on 20/04/07)

Georgiataylor.co.uk What's New Page (no date) Available at: (Accessed on 20/04/07)

[edit] External links

Languages